Benton County judge fires comptroller

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Writing he has lost all trust in her, Benton County Judge Bob Clinard fired Sarah Wilson, the county's comptroller, effective Tuesday.

Clinard presented Wilson with a letter outlining his reasons for ending her employment with the county. He said he would not comment on the matter beyond what was in the letter. After her meeting with Clinard, Wilson said she had no comment.

In the letter, Clinard told Wilson he had received an anonymous phone call March 28 from "a purported county taxpayer" telling him Wilson had recently married Scott Stober. Stober is the former county public services administrator who was arrested July 30 in connection with theft of property. Wilson confirmed the marriage after Clinard confronted her "point-blank about it," he wrote.

Stober and Wilson were in a relationship before his arrest, Sheriff’s Office investigators and Wilson confirmed at the time, and investigators spent several days last summer looking through records in the accounting office. However, Wilson had told Clinard the relationship had ended, Clinard wrote.

Subscribers have access to a full version of this story